HUNTING AND HAWKING IN PERSIA. 223 



other game ; five hares were killed by our dogs and three by 

 hawks. When at Sfr'raz, the Elchee had received a present of a 

 very fine Shah-Baz, or ioyal falcon. Before going out I had been 

 amused at seeing Nutee Beg, our head falconer, a man of great 

 experience in his department, put upon this bird a pair of leathers, 

 which he fitted to its thighs with as much care as if he had been 

 the tailor of a fashionable horseman. I inquired the reason of so 

 unusual a proceeding. " You will learn that," said the conse- 

 quential master of the hawks, " when you see our sport :" and I 

 was convinced, at the period he predicted, of the old fellow's 

 knowledge of his business. 



The first hare seized by the falcon was very strong, and the 

 ground rough. While the bird kept the claws of one foot fastened 

 in the back of its prey, the other was dragged along the ground 

 till it had an opportunity to lay hold of a tuft of grass, by which 

 it was enabled to stop the course of the hare, whose efforts to' 

 escape, I do think, would have torn the hawk asunder, if it had 

 not been provided with the leathern defences which have been 

 mentioned. 



The next time the falcon was flown, gave us a proof of that 

 extraordinary courage which its whole appearance, and par- 

 ticularly its eye, denoted. It had stopped and quite disabled the 

 second hare by the first pounce, when -two greyhounds, which 

 had been slipped by mistake, came up, and endeavored to seize it. 

 They were, however, repulsed by the falcon, whose boldness and 

 celerity in attacking the dogs and securing its prey excited our 

 admiration and astonishment. 



We had some excellent sport with smaller hawks and part- 

 ridges. I was particularly pleased with one bird which kept 

 hovering over our heads till the game was sprung, and then de- 

 scending like a shot, struck its prey to the ground. 



